§6321 Fiscal Requirements

Summary

Local school districts can get money under this law only if the state education agency says the district kept up its required level of spending under section 7901. Federal money must be used to add to state and local money, not replace it. A district must show that the way it divides state and local funds makes sure each school getting federal help still gets all the state and local money it would have had without the federal funds. Districts do not have to mark individual costs as “supplemental” or use a specific teaching method or setting. The U.S. Secretary cannot force a district to use a particular funding method. A district must meet the showing rule in paragraph (2) no later than 2 years after December 10, 2015, but may use its pre‑December 10, 2015 method until then. State or local funds used in schools getting federal help must, as a whole, be at least comparable to services in schools not getting federal help; if every school in the district gets help, services must be substantially comparable in each school. A district can meet this by filing a written assurance that it has a districtwide salary schedule, a policy to keep teacher/administrator/staff assignments equivalent across schools, and a policy to keep curriculum materials and supplies equivalent. When checking per‑pupil spending or instructional salaries, years‑of‑service pay differences are not counted. Districts may ignore unpredictable enrollment or staffing changes after the school year starts. Districts must create procedures, keep records updated every two years, and may exclude small districts with only one building per grade span. Districts may also exclude state or local funds spent on language instruction programs or on the extra costs of educating children with disabilities. States or districts may also leave out supplemental state/local funds spent for programs that match the purpose of this part when doing these calculations.